In just a few days Canadians will be heading to the polls, and it’s safe to say that many of us are hoping for a new federal leader.

In reviewing the Straight’s January 19, 2006 issue—the last one released before Stephen Harper’s government was voted into power four days later—a story about artists and cultural workers fearful of the Conservative party’s disdain for the arts caught my eye. 

The headline, “Artists fear Harper victory”, says it all. Written by Pieta Woolley, the story describes a grave situation for Emily Carr student and new-media artist Sheldon Lawlor, who was frustrated with Paul Martin’s inability to control rising tuition fees and afraid that a Conservative government would slash federal funding necessary for grants from the Canada Council for the Arts that he had planned to apply for after school.

UBC political-science professor Gerald Baier told the Straight at the time that, “if the party is true to its roots, ideologically, and promotes smaller government, and you accept that Canadian artists are dependent on taxpayer dollars, then there could be a problem.”

Arthur Lewis, executive director of pro-CBC lobby group Our Public Airwaves, also expressed fear, stating that the Conservative’s platform in 2006 was far too vague when it came to arts funding.

A sidebar included predictions on the issue from four local candidates—one from each party—and all but one suggested that the federal government’s arts and culture funding would be reduced if the Conservative party came into power.

Looking at the numbers, it seems that the worry expressed by these individuals was justified.

The PM has toed the line since 2008, after $45 million in cuts to arts funding triggered massive public outcry and resulted in a Conservative minority during the election later that year. Arts has not been a key priority for the party, with funding down by 8.3 percent in the last decade. Even when the government has invested in the sector, it’s been tied to other priorities, like celebrating Canada’s 150^th anniversary, or the anniversary of the War of 1812. 

While funding has remained steady this year for the first time since 2012, per capita funding to the Canada Council has fallen from $5.54 in 2005-06 to $5.08 in 2015-16. Funding for Canadian Heritage dropped by $136.6 million this year, but there were increases to the National Arts Centre, the Canadian Museum of History, and the National Museum of Science and Technology—although federal funding for museums and galleries is currently less than it was in 1972.

The CBC has also been a victim of Harper’s cuts, losing $115 million in federal funding since 2012 and subsequently eliminating 1,200 positions. It’s expected that by 2020, over 1,000 more jobs will be lost. Harper blames the CBC’s recent budget troubles on low ratings—not the reduced funding.

Each of the four major parties has laid out its plan for supporting Canada’s arts and culture sector if elected:

• Trudeau’s Liberals have pledged to double the investment in the Canada Council for the Arts to a total of $360 million per year. They’ve also vowed to increase funding for Telefilm Canada and the National Film Board, investing $25 million a year. Young Canada Works would also receive increased funding under Liberal leadership, with plans to “prepare the next generation of Canadians working in the heritage sector.” Their platform calls the CBC “a vital national institution”, and says that the party would protect the CBC by reversing Harper’s cuts and investing $150 million annually in new funding.

• The NDP has made similar commitments, although there are no numbers associated with their promises. They’ve vowed to reinvest in institutions like the Canada Council for the Arts, and to support artists and cultural workers by implementing income tax averaging. They’ve also committed to restoring the CBC’s funding. 

• Elizabeth May’s Green Party promises increased funding to all of Canada’s arts and culture organizations, and a “rebuilding [of] the arm’s length governance of our arts and cultural institutions to prevent political interference”. The party has also committed to reversing Harper’s cuts to the CBC, and will invest an additional $168 million, plus $315 million each year thereafter to rebuild the broadcasting company’s local coverage and capacity. 

• As for the Tories, their platform proudly states that because of their support, Canada was “the only G-7 country that didn’t cut direct funding to artists” during the recession. While they have vowed to create permanent federal funding for the Canada Council for the Arts and establish ongoing funding for the Canada Cultural Investment Fund, no amounts of money have been mentioned. Unlike the other three parties, there isn’t a single mention of our national broadcaster in the Conservative’s official platform.

A commitment to prioritize the preservation of Canada’s arts and culture by three out of four parties isn’t bad. We are lucky to live in a city that has become central to Canada’s artistic output, whether it’s our thriving film and television industry, our wide array of talented local musicians, or our long list of art galleries and theatrical productions, Vancouver’s artistic and cultural offerings are bound to withstand whatever cuts might come our way. Here’s hoping they won’t.